1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an imaging medical apparatus with a device to identify a plane in space.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices to identify the attitude of planes are frequently used at imaging medical apparatuses or in connection with imaging medical apparatuses in order to mark or to illustrate the location and the direction of a medical instrument (a puncture needle, for example) based on image information of the body of a patient that is acquired with an imaging medical apparatus. Two such devices are most often used, wherein the optically visible intersection line of the planes of fan-shaped light beams identifies the direction of the instrument, and the intersection point of the intersection lines with the surface of the body of the patient identifies the puncture location for the instrument.
From DE 10 2008 013 615 A1, a computed tomography apparatus is known that has two fan lasers with which a guideline for a medical instrument can be marked. The fan lasers are arranged so as to be adjustable on the gantry of the computed tomography apparatus in order to be able to identify different planes in space or to mark different guidelines in space.
Furthermore, a device with two laser light beam localizers to mark a guide path of a puncture needle is described in DE 195 01 069 A1, wherein each laser light beam localizer emits a laser beam fanning out in a plane. The colors of the two fanned-out laser beams differ. The intersection line of the laser beams marks the guide path for the puncture needle. In addition to a diode laser that is rotatable around a first axis, each laser light beam localizer has a light-reflecting mirror that is rotatable around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. With this light-reflecting mirror, the fanned-out laser beam of the diode laser can be reflected in a desired direction. This design—in particular the fixed attitude of the two axes relative to one another—limits the possibilities to generate identified planes in space.
Superstructures with a laser and deflector units in the form of tilted mirrors are described in Matischek, R.: Laser, Grundlagen und Anwendungen [Lasers, Fundamentals and Applications], Facharbeit aus der Physik, Bundesgymnasium und Bundesgymnasium Bruck/Mur, Reifeprüfung im Haupttermin 1994/95, www.univie.ac.at/pluslucis/FBA/FBA95/Matischek/laser0.pdf.